Support structure for through-wall installation of package unit

ABSTRACT

A support structure for through-wall installation of a package unit, such as an air conditioner or the like, having a sleeve that extends through a wall opening to receive the unit for presentation therethrough, and adjustable load bearing means positioned to engage the sleeve to support it and the unit by transferring the major portion of the unit weight to an underlying base, thereby reducing the load applied to the wall via the sleeve.

United States Patent Wenig Jan. 14, 1975 SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR 2,257,188 9/1941 Page 248/146 x THROUGPLWALL INSTALLATION OF 2,322,904 6/1943 Williams 62/262 UX 2,560,467 7/1951 Moore 98/94 X PACKAGE UNIT 2,871,778 2/1959 Brehm et a1, 98/94 [75] Inventor: Norman B. Wenig, Scarsdale, N.Y, 2,972,238 2/1961 Richelli et a1 62/262 3,030,873 4/1962 Metcalfe 248/208 X 1 Asslgneer bassy Industries, Inc., 3,332,651 7/1967 Fleischhaver 248/146 Farmmgdale, NY.

[22] Filed: Feb. 5, 1973 Primary Examiner-J. Franklin Foss [21] Appl. No.2 329,739

[57] ABSTRACT 52 us. c1 248/13, 62/262, 98/94, A pp Structure for through-wall installation of 24 /203 package unit, such as an air conditioner or the like, 51] Int. Cl. F16m 11/04, F16m 1/00 having a Sleeve that extends through a wall opening to i l f Search U 243 3 20 23 receive the unit for presentation therethrough, and ad- 248/146; 62/262, 263; 52/27, 37; 98/94 X, justable load bearing means positioned to engage the 995; 211/ sleeve to support it and the unit by transferring the major portion of the unit weight to an underlying base, [5 References Cited thereby reducing the load applied to the wall via the UNITED STATES PATENTS Sleeve- 378,580 2/1888 Everett 248/ 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures I9 5' "1 13 a if q "5 I6 29 29 20 iii 11 15] 1 I /-/2 -26 I 28- I i 22 2 U l U III 111, 1 H \l PATEMTEIJJM14mm 3,860,206

- SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG. 2.-

SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR THROUGH-WALL INSTALLATION OF PACKAGE UNIT BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to support structures and more particularly to an adjustable support structure useful for the through wall installation of a package unit, such as an air conditioner, or the like.

In the prior art, various types of through-wall installations have been used for air conditioners and similar packaged units. However, many of these prior art installations rely upon the wall material to carry the load of the unit presented through a wall opening. Where the wall thickness is large, ordinarily there is no problem in carrying the weight of the unit and the moment resulting from the inside overhang of the unit, without using any support structure to transfer the load to an underlying base, such as a floor. However, where the wall thickness is small, as for example in the order of 1 inch, the moment that would be applied to the wall by a cantilevered unit would be undesirably high. Furthermore, the vibratory forces generated by motors and compressors within the unit would tend to cause localized failures at the wall connections.

The support structure of the instant invention allows the through-wall installation of a package air conditioner/heater unit without applying any appreciable load to the wall, thereby solving many of the problems heretofore encountered where a unit had to be located at a height above the floor and extended through a thin exterior wall.

According to the invention there is provided sleeve means disposed to extend through a wall opening to receive a package unit for presentation through the opening. The sleeve means is supported, and at least a major portion of the weight of the unit is transferred to an underlying base, such as the floor, by adjustable load bearing means that engages the sleeve means. Thus, the load, and the moment applied to the wall are reduced.

The adjustable load-bearing means is expediently made of sheet metal and has a transversely extending member adjustably connected to a pair of spaced-apart uprights and positioned to supportingly engage the sleeve means. Resilient pads are provided on the adjustable load bearing means, preferably on the transverse member and under the foot of each upright, to dampen vibratory forces generated within the package unit.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and following detailed description which serve to exemplify a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view, partly in section, of a support structure according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, as seen in a typical installation.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an adjustable load bearing frame used in the structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a frame used in the structure of FIG. 1 to connect the unit-receiving sleeve to the wall.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1 there is exemplified a support structure for a package air conditioner and/or heater unit 11 that is to be mounted through a thin wall 12 at a given elevation above a floor base 13.

Support structure 10 has a prefabricated sheet metal sleeve 14 disposed to extend through an opening 15 made in wall 12. Sleeve 14 receives the unit 11 for presentation through opening 15, and is generally rectangular in cross section taken parallel to wall 12. A weatherproof connection of sleeve 14 to wall 12 is achieved with the aid of a frame 16, better seen in FIG. 3, that is sized to fit the opening 15 along the lips 17 and to bear against the outside of wall 12 along the lips 18. To lips 18 are affixed, as by welding, threaded studs 19 that extend through holes drilled in wall 12 and through holes in a flange 20 affixed to sleeve 14 and extending around the cross-sectional perimeter thereof. By tightening nuts 21 on studs 19, the flange 20 and exterior frame 16 are brought together to clamp sleeve 14 to wall 12. Thus, the flange 20 which is adapted to bear against the area of wall 12 adjacent opening 15, establishes sleeve 14 in a given positioned relation to opening 15.

As better seen in FIG. 2, there is provided an H- shaped adjustable load bearing frame 22, that, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is positioned to engage sleeve 14 to support same, and to transfer at least a major portion of the weight of unit 11 to the underlying base 13, so as to reduce the load imposed upon wall 12 at the frame 16 and flange 20 connection. The H-frame 22 has a pair of spaced-apart uprights 23 and a transversely extending shelf 24 adjustably connected by bolts 29 at each end to a corresponding upright 23.

Each upright 23 has a foot 25 that is disposed for connection to base 13, as by anchor'bolts 26that extend through elongated slots 27. Other elongated slots 28 in each upright 23 allow adjustment of the elevation of.

The uprights 23 expediently extend above shelf 24 so as to define lateral constraints for the sleeve 14 and unit 11 therein.

To dampen vibratory forces as may be generated by motors and compressors operating within unit 1 I, resilient pads 31, 32 are provided on H-frame 22. Pads 31 are located on the top of shelf 24 and underly sleeve 14, and pads 32 are located under the feet 25 of uprights 23.

Some vibratory clamping, in addition to weathersealing is achieved by caulking 33 around the lips 17 of frame 16 and an exterior grill 34 held thereby.

It should become apparent from the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment, that the invention is adaptable to a variety of modifications to suit the needs of a particular application, even though such modifications are not specifically set forth herein.

What is claimed is:

l. A support structure for a package unit which comprises sleeve means disposed to extend through a wall opening to receive a package unit for presentation through said opening, and adjustable load bearing means positioned to engage said sleeve means to support same and to transfer at least a major portion of the weight of the package unit to an underlying base means to reduce the load applied to the wall, said adjustable load bearing means including a pair of spaced-apart uprights and a transversely extending member adjustably connected to said uprights and positioned to supportingly engage said sleeve means, said sleeve means having a guide flange adapted to bear against one side of the wall on the area thereof adjacent said opening to establish said sleeve means in a given positional relation to the wallopening; and a frame adapted to bear against the opposite side of the wall on the area thereof adjacent said opening, said frame being connected to said flange to secure said sleeve means in said positional relation.

means.

4. A support structure according to claim 1 wherein said uprights have elongated slots which allow adjustment in the elevation of said transversely extending member relative to said base means. 1

5. A support structure according to claim 1 wherein said uprights and transversely extending member are positioned with respect to said sleeve means to bear substantially the entire weight of the package unit. 

1. A support structure for a package unit which comprises sleeve means disposed to extend through a wall opening to receive a package unit for presentation through said opening, and adjustable load bearing means positioned to engage said sleeve means to support same and to transfer at least a major portion of the weight of the package unit to an underlying base means to reduce the load applied to the wall, said adjustable load bearing means including a pair of spaced-apart uprights and a transversely extending member adjustably connected to said uprights and positioned to supportingly engage said sleeve means, said sleeve means having a guide flange adapted to bear against one side of the wall on the area thereof adjacent said opening to establish said sleeve means in a given positional relation to the wallopening; and a frame adapted to bear against the opposite side of the wall on the area thereof adjacent said opening, said frame being connected to said flange to secure said sleeve means in said positional relation.
 2. A support structure according to claim 1 including resilient pad means on said adjustable load bearing means disposed to dampen vibratory forces generated within said package unit.
 3. A support structure according to claim 1 wherein said uprights extend above said transversely extending member to define lateral constraints for said sleeve means.
 4. A support structure according to claim 1 wherein said uprights have elongated slots which allow adjustment in the elevation of said transversely extending member relative to said base means.
 5. A support structure according to claim 1 wherein said uprights and transversely extending member are positioned with respect to said sleeve means to bear substantially the entire weight of the package unit. 